The present invention relates generally to devices for storing and washing bottles such as baby bottles and more particularly to a bottle washing/storage/organizing/dispensing fixture system suitable for use in an automatic dishwasher adapted to hold multiple differing shaped bottles thereon throughout the dishwashing cycle.
As is well known, conventional automatic dishwashers include a variety of support racks therein designed for holding dishes, plates, utensils, and other kitchen items in an orientation conductive for suitable cleaning and drying during the automatic dishwasher cycle. Although such racks are typically suitable for the vast majority of articles desired to be cleaned therein, they have proven generally inept for holding elongate articles such as glass and/or plastic baby bottles which in order to be properly cleaned and dried within the automatic dishwasher, must be securely maintained in an inverted upright orientation upon the rack throughout the automatic dishwashing cycle. In this regard, due to the substantial water pressure exerted upon such baby bottle articles during the washing cycle, it is all too familiar for such baby bottles to be dislodged from their initial position on the rack and be thrown about during the washing cycle thereby either being improperly cleaned or filling up with water so as to prevent proper drying in the dishwasher. Further, in severe instances, such bottles may be thrown completely off of the rack and settle in the lower drain sump area of the dishwasher adjacent to the heating element of the same, thereby being subject to thermal damage.
Additionally, due to the typical configuration of conventional baby bottles being elongate, they are inherently unstable for storage in either an upright or inverted upright (i.e. upsidedown) orientation. This inherent instability renders such bottles prone to being inadvertently knocked over when disposed upon a counter or within a cabinet thereby posing storage difficulties, as well as in relation to glass bottles additionally posing a significant safety hazard due to inadvertent breakage.
Further, due to the inherent instability of conventional baby bottle configurations, it is often difficult to allow air drying of the same upon a counter or the like when such bottles are hand washed.
As such, there exists a substantial need in the art for a device specifically adapted to securely hold differing shaped bottles within a dishwasher, facilitate, air drying, organization and storage of the same, as well as allow rapid dispensing of bottles when desired.